Cover not available
Article published In:
Revista Española de Lingüística Aplicada/Spanish Journal of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 33:2 (2020) ► pp.384–415

Thinking for speaking in the right aspect

On whether modern English grammars can do more

 | University of Montenegro
In this article we focus on the category of aspect and examine modern English grammars to see whether they give sufficient guidelines to the learner on how aspectual meanings are decoded and encoded in English. More precisely, we check whether the grammars reflect the abundant linguistic research on aspectual construal in English. Out of a number of components that play a role in the shaping of aspectual meaning, we look at the following four: lexical aspect, arguments, grammatical aspect, and tense. An overview is first made of the key theoretical findings on the impact of these four components on aspectual interpretation, followed by an analysis of the grammar content on the given components. Our conclusion is that only two comprehensive grammars we examined take into account the results of linguistic research on aspect to a certain extent and that there is a lot of room for improvement.
Keywords: aspect in grammars, lexical aspect, arguments, grammatical aspect, tense
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2. Literature on CA in English
    • 2.1CA in linguistic theory
      • 2.1.1Lexical aspect
      • 2.1.2Arguments
      • 2.1.3Grammatical aspect
      • 2.1.4Tenses
    • 2.2CA in the literature on second-language acquisition (‘SLA’)
  • 3.Grammars on CA in English
    • 3.1Group one: Comprehensive grammars of English treating aspect as a tense/aspect category
    • 3.2Group two: Comprehensive grammars of English addressing aspect more systematically
      • 3.2.1Overall approach to aspect
      • 3.2.2Lexical aspect
      • 3.2.3Arguments
      • 3.2.4Grammatical aspect
      • 3.2.5Tenses
    • 3.3Group three: Specialised grammars
  • 4.Discussion
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 10 February 2021
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/resla.18007.bul
References (73)
References
Aish, F., & Tomlinson, J. (2012). Grammar for IELTS. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.Google Scholar
Arad, M. (1998). VP-Structure and the Syntax-Lexicon Interface. MIT Occasional Papers in Linguistics 16. London: University College.Google Scholar
Bach, E. (1986). The Algebra of Events. Linguistics and philosophy, 91, 5–16.Google Scholar
Bardovi-Harlig, K., & Reynolds, D. W. (1995). The Role of Lexical Aspect in the Acquisition of Tense and Aspect. Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, 29(1), 107–131.Google Scholar
Bardovi-Harlig, K. (1999). From morpheme studies to temporal semantics. Tense-aspect research in SLA. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 211, 341–382. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Bertinetto, P. M., & Lentovskaya, A. (2011). Degree Verbs. A contrastive Russian-English analysis. Proceedings of the conference on “Verbal Aspect: Grammatical meaning and context”, Padova 30/IX-4/X, 2011.Google Scholar
Bybee, J., Perkins, R., & Pagliuca, W. (1994). The Evolution of Grammar: Tense, Aspect and Modality in the Languages of the World. Chicago: University of Chicago.Google Scholar
Bulatovic, V. (2013a). Modern theories of aspect in English and Serbian EL2 learners. Belgrade English Language and Literature Studies, V1, 65–79. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2013b). Leksički aspekt i engleski sadašnji perfekat. Filološki pregled, 401, 177–187.Google Scholar
(forthcoming). Aspect semantics and ESL article use. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching. DOI logo
Comrie, B. (1976). Aspect. An Introduction to the Study of Verbal Aspect and Related Problems. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Carter, R., & McCarthy, M. (2006). Cambridge Grammar of English, A Comprehensive Guide. Spoken and Written English Grammar and Usage. Cambridge: CUP.Google Scholar
Comrie, B. (1975). Tense. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Dahl, O. (1984). Perfectivity in Slavonic and Other Languages. In C. de Groot & H. Tommola (Eds.), Aspect Bound: A Voyage into the realm of Germanic, Slavonic and Finno-Ugrian aspectology (Proceedings from the First Scandinavian Symposium on Aspectology in Vaasa, Aug. 26–28, 1983). Dordrecht-Holland/Cinnaminson: Foris Publications, 3–22. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(1985). Tense and Aspect Systems. Oxford: Basil Blackwell.Google Scholar
Declerck, R. (2006). The grammar of the English tense system. A Comprehensive Analysis. Berlin, New York: Mouton de Gruyter. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Dimitrova-Vulchanova, M. (1999). Verb Semantics, Diathesis and Aspect. LINCOM Studies in Theoretical Linguistics, 8. Munich: LINCOM Europa.Google Scholar
Downing, A., & Locke, P. (2006). English Grammar. A University Course. The second edition. London and New York: Routledge, Taylor and Francis Group. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Dowty, D. R. (1977). Toward a Semantic Analysis of Verb Aspect and the English ‘Imperfective’ Progressive. Linguistics and Philosophy, 11, 45–78. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Dowty, D. (1979). Word Meaning and Montague Grammar. Dordrecht: Kluwer (Reidel). DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Dowty, D. R. (1988). Thematic Proto-Roles, Subject Selection, and Lexical Semantic Defaults. Paper presented at the 1987 LSA Colloquium. San Francisco.
(1991). Thematic Proto-Roles and Argument Selection. Language, 671, 547–619. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Eastwood, J. (2006). Oxford Practice Grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Filip, H. (2001). Nominal and verbal semantic structure: analogies and interactions. Language Sciences, 231, 453–501. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Galton, A. (1984). The logic of aspect. An axiomatic approach. Oxford: Clarendon Press.Google Scholar
Garey, H. B. (1957). Verbal aspects in French. Language, 331, 91–110. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Glasbey, S. R. (1994). Event structure in natural language discourse. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Hewings, M. (2005). Advanced Grammar in Use. 2nd edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Ionin, T., Ko, H., & Wexler, K. (2004). Article semantics in L2-acquisition: the role of specificity. Language Acquisition, 121, 3–69. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ionin, T., & Montrul, S. (2010). The role of L1-transfer in the interpretation of articles with definite plurals in L2-English. Language Learning, 601, 877–925. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Hlebec, B. (1990). Aspects, Phases and Tenses in English and Serbo-Croatian. Grazer Linguistische Monographien 8. Graz.Google Scholar
Hopper, P. J. (1979). Aspect and Foregrounding in Discourse. Discourse and Syntax, 213–241.Google Scholar
Hopkins, D., & Cullen, P. (2007). Cambridge Grammar for IELDS. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Huddlestone, R., & Pullum, G. (2005). A Student’s Introduction to English Grammar. Cambridge: CUP. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Kabakčiev, K. (2000). Aspect in English: A “Common-Sense” View of the Interplay between Verbal and Nominal Referents (Studies in Linguistics and Philosophy 75). Dordrecht: Springer. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(2017). An English Grammar: main stumbling blocks for Bulgarians learning English. Stuttgart: Mariana Kabakchiev Verlag.Google Scholar
Kenny, A. (1963). Action, Emotion, and Will. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.Google Scholar
Ko, H., Perovic, A., Ionin, T., & Wexler, K. (2008). Semantic Universals and Variation in L2 Article Choice. In R. Slabakova, J. Rothman, P. Kempchinsky & E. Gavruseva (eds.), Proceedings of the 9th Generative Approaches to Second Language Acquisition Conference (GASLA 2007), (pp. 118–129). Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Proceedings Project.Google Scholar
Kortmann, B. (1991). The Triad “Tense-Aspect-Aktionsart: Problems and Possible Solutions. Belgian Journal of Linguistics, 61, 9–30. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Krifka, M. (1986). Nominalreferenz und Zeitkonstitution. Zur Semantik von Massentermend, Individualtermen, Aspektklassen. PhD thesis, The University of Munich, Germany.Google Scholar
(1989). Nominal Reference, Temporal Constitution and Quantification in Event Semantics. In R. Bartsch, J. van Bentham & P. van Emde Boas (Eds.), Semantics and Contextual Expressions (pp. 75–115). Dordrecht: Foris. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(1992). Thematic Relations as Links between Nominal Reference and Temporal Constitution. In I. A. Sag & A. Szabolcsi (Eds.), Lexical Matters (pp. 29–53). Stanford: CSLI Publications, Stanford University.Google Scholar
(1998). The Origins of Telicity. In S. Rothstein (Ed.), Events and Grammar (pp. 197–235). Dordrecht/Boston/London: Kluwer Academic Publishers. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Langacker, R. W. (2008). Cognitive Grammar. Oxford: OUP. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Leech, N. J. (1971). Meaning and the English Verb. London: Longman.Google Scholar
Maslov, J. S. (Ed.). (1985). Contrastive Studies in Verbal Aspect. Studies in Descriptive Linguistics, vol. 141. Heidelberg.Google Scholar
Morales-Reyes, A. (2016). Transfer and semantic universals in the L2 acquisition of the English articles system by child L2 learners. Language Acquisition, 231, 57–74. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Mourelatos, A. P. D. (1978). Events, Processes and States. Linguistics and Philosophy, 21, 415–434. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Muñoz, C., & Gilabert, R. (2011). More evidence concerning the Aspect Hypothesis: The acquisition of English progressive aspect by Catalan-Spanish instructed learners. IRAL, 491, 241–263. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Murphy, R. (2012). English Grammar in Use, 4th edition, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Quirk et al. (1985). A Comprehensive Grammar of the English Language. Longman.Google Scholar
Reinhart, T. (1984). Principles of Gestalt Perception in the Temporal Organization of Narrative Texts. Linguistics, 221, 779–809.Google Scholar
Rothstein, S. (2001). What are Incremental Themes? In J. A. Gerhard, S. Strigin, S. Wilder & N. Zhang (Eds.), (2001). Papers on predicative constructions: Proceedings of the workshop on secondary predication, October 16–17, 2000, Berlin (ZAS Papers in Linguistics 22) (pp. 139–159). Berlin: ZAS.Google Scholar
(2004). Structuring events: A Study in the Semantics of Lexical Aspect. Blackwell Publishing Ltd.. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(Ed.). (2008). Theoretical and Crosslinguistic Approaches to the Semantics of Aspect. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Ryle, G. (1949). The Concept of Mind. London: Barnes and Noble.Google Scholar
Slabakova, R. (2001). Telicity in the second language. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Slobin, D. (1996). From “thought and language” to “thinking for speaking. In J. Gumperz & S. Levinson (Eds.), Rethinking linguistic relativity (pp. 70–96). Cambridge. MA: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Smith, C. (1991/1997). The Parameter of Aspect. Dordrecht: Kluwer. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Swan, M. (2005). Practical English Usage. Oxford: OUP.Google Scholar
Talmy, L. (2000). Toward a Cognitive Semantics. Volume 11. Concept Structuring Systems. Cambridge, Massachusetts and London, England: A Bradford Book, The MIT Press.Google Scholar
Tenny, C. (1987). Grammaticalizing Aspect and Affectedness, Ph.D. dissertation, MIT, Cambridge, MA.Google Scholar
(1994). Aspectual Roles and the Syntax-Semantics Interface. Dordrecht: Kluwer. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Thelin, N. B. (1990). Verbal Aspect in Discourse: on the State of the Art. In N. B. Thelin (Ed.), Verbal Aspect in Discourse. Contributions to the Semantics of Time and Temporal Perspective in Slavic and Non-Slavic Languages (pp. 3–88). Amsterdam, Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Co. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Thomson, A. J., & Martinet, A. V. (1986). A Practical English Grammar. 4th edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Trenkic, D. (2007). Variability in second language article production: beyond the representational deficit vs. processing constraints debate. Second Language Research, 23(3), 289–327. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Vendler, Z. (1957). Verbs and times. Philosophical Review, 561, 143–160. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(1967). Verbs and times. Linguistics in Philosophy. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 97–121. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Verkuyl, H. J. (1972). On the Compositional Nature of Aspects. Reidel, Dordrecht. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(1989). Aspectual Classes and Aspectual Composition. Linguistics and Philosophy, 39–94. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
(1993). A theory of Aspectuality. The interaction between temporal and atemporal structure. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Vlach, F. (1981). The Semantics of the Progressive. In P. I. Tedeschi, & A. Zaenen (Eds.), Syntax and Semantics. Vol 14: Tense and Aspect (pp. 271–292). New York, San Francisco: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Zdorenko, T., & J. Paradis. (2008). The acquisition of articles in child second language English: fluctuation, transfer or both? Second Language Research, 24(2), 227–250. DOI logoGoogle Scholar
Cited by (2)

Cited by two other publications

Bakardzhieva-Morikang, Svitlana & Krasimir Kabakčiev
2024. Ukrainian biaspectuality: An instantiation of compositional aspect in a verbal-aspect language. East European Journal of Psycholinguistics 11:1 DOI logo
Kabakčiev, Krasimir
2023. On the temporal values of situation-participant NP referents mapped from Bulgarian perfects with aorist and imperfect participles. East European Journal of Psycholinguistics DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 29 october 2024. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.